IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT.3) 


h 


// 


A 


[A 


fA 


V     %. 
O/m 


'# 


1.0    If 


.7  ilM 


I.I 


1^ 


^  li£ 


UUl. 


M 
18 


L25  i  1.4 


1.6 


~    6" 


Photographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


23  WEST  MA!N  STREET 

WEBSTER,  NY.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


^ 


iV 


V 


\\ 


^ 


m 


€ 


V 


<^ 


c 


tA 


^^ 


CSHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CliHIVI/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  tachniquas  et  bibliographiquas 


The 
toth 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


□    Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  da  couleur 


I      I    Covers  damaged/ 


□ 
D 

D 

n 
□ 


Couverture  endommag^e 

Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaur^e  et/ou  peilicul^e 

Cover  title  missing/ 

Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 

Coloured  maps/ 

Cartes  giographiques  eii  couleur 

Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 

Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 
Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 

Bound  with  other  material/ 
ReliA  avec  d'autres  documents 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

L?  re  liure  serree  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distorsion  le  long  de  la  marge  iutirieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajouties 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texta, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  Atait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  iti  film^es. 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  axemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  ixi  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cet  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-dtre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  mithode  normaie  de  filmage 
sont  indiquAs  ci-dessous. 


□   Coloured  pages/ 
Pages  de  couleur 

□    Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommag^es 

□    Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restaur^es  et/ou  pellicul^es 


Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  ddcolordes,  tachetdes  ou  piquees 

Pages  detached/ 
Pages  ddtachees 

Showthrough/ 
Transparence 

Quality  of  print  varies/ 
Quality  in^gale  de  ('impression 

Includes  supplementary  material/ 
Comprend  du  materiel  supplementaire 

Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  idition  disponible 

Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata.  une  pelure, 
etc.,  c.nt  itib  filmies  d  nouveau  de  facon  a 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


D 


v/ 


n 
n 


The 
posa 
of  tt 
film! 


Orig 
begi 
the  I 
slon 
othfl 
first 
sion 
Drill 


The 
she! 
TINI 
whii 

MaF 
difft 
entii 
begi 
righ 
reqi 
met 


n 


Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  supplimentaires; 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  filmd  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqui  ci-dessous. 


10X 

14X 

18X 

22X 

26X 

30X 

y 

12X 


16X 


20X 


24X 


28X 


32X 


tails 

du 
3dif:er 

une 
Tiage 


The  copy  filmed  here  hes  been  reproduced  thenks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

Biblloth^que  nationale  du  Quebec 


The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quaiity 
possibie  considering  the  condition  and  legibiiity 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  lieeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  —*►(  meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 

IVIaps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


L'exemplacre  fiimi  fut  reproduit  grfice  A  la 
gAn6rosit6  de: 

Bibliothdque  nationale  du  Quebec 


Les  images  suivantes  ont  6tS  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
de  la  nettet6  de  I'exomplaire  film6,  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  do 
filmage. 

Les  uxemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprimde  sont  filmte  en  commenpant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  salon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exempiaires 
originaux  sont  filmfo  en  commenpant  par  la 
premiere  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  derniAre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboies  suivants  apparattra  sur  la 
dernidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbols  —^  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbols  V  signifie  "FIN". 

Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  dtre 
film6s  d  des  taux  de  reduction  diff^rents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clich6,  il  est  fiimi  d  partir 
de  I'angle  sup6rieur  gauche,  de  gauche  d  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  nicessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  m6thode. 


rrata 
o 


selure, 
1  a 


1 

2 

3 

32X 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

AN    EXPOSURE 


OF 


MARIA  MONK'S 


PRETENDED 


ABDUCTION  AND  CONVEYANCE 


TO  THE 


<JATHOLIC  ASYLUM,  PHILADELPHIA, 


BY 

SIX    PRIESTS, 

ON  THE  NIGHT   OF  AUGUST  15,  18  3/. 

WITH 

NUMEROUS  EXTRAORDINARY  INCIDENTS  DURING  HER  RESIDENCE  OP 
SIX  DAYS  IN  THIS  CITY. 


"  The  weapons  of  our  ■warfare  are  not  carnal;"  bnt  spiritual.— 2  Cor.  x,  4. 


BY  W.  W.  SLEIGH, 

AUTHOR   OF   "the   CHRISTIAN'S   DEFENSIVE   DICTIONARY 

»  ■       iV'O.AlNS.'f  INVIDELltV,"  &^.  &ni .     ,;      '^  , 


•  it     «  ^  ■,  I    « 


«  .     »       I- 


*       • 


PHILADELPHIA: 

T.  K.  &  P.  G.  COLLINS,  PRINTERS, 

No.  1  LODGE  ALLEY. 

1837. 


i' 


^.>; 


• 

. 

. 

-i 

It 

has  e 

Entered  according  lo  act  of  congress,  in  the  year  1837,  by  W.  W. 
Sleigh,  in  the  clerk's  office  of  the  district  court  of  the  eontern 
district  of  Pennsylvania, 


■H 


»  • 


«      ^ 


I 


PREFACE. 


by  W.  Vf. 
he  earitern 


It  is  almost  unnecessary  to  state  that  the  writer 
has  ever  been,  and  is  a  sterling  Protestant,  conscien- 
tiously opposed  to  the  views  of  the  Catholic  church; 
but  has  ever  condemned  every  weapon  in  defence  of 
religion,  except  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  the  weapon 
of  truth.    All  the  gentlemen  mentioned  in  these  pages, 
as  witnesses  of  the  transactions  hereinafter  related, 
are  also  sterling  Protestants,  and  some  of  them  Pro- 
testant clergymen,  active  opposers  of  the    church  of 
Rome;  and  some  of  them  members  of  the  Protestant 
Association. 

Moreover,  the  writen,  up  to  this  week,  has  been  a 
firm  believer  in  the  truth  of  the  substantial  facts  re- 
corded in  Maria  Monk's  works;  but  now  he  entertains 
no  other  opinion  of  the  said  Maria  Monk's  works,  but 
that  they  are,  in  every  important  statement,  a  mass 
of  barefaced  falsehoods!  and  he  has  come  to  this  con- 
viction, not  willingly,  not  hastily,  not  from  the  detec- 
tion of  any  contradictions  or  mistakes  in  her  works, 
but  reluctantly,  dispassionately,  and  from  numerous 
fads  which  he  and  those  Protestant  gentlemen  have 
witnessed,   which  are  now  presented  to  the  public, 
signed  most  willingly  by  herself,  in  the  presence  of 
those  said  Protestant  gentlemen,  whose  names  are 


59674 


thereunto  annexed,  and  which  incontrovertibly  prove 
her  to  be,  cither  an  unfortunate  hinatic,  or  a  woman 
destitute  of  all  principle,  and  an  adept  in  concocting 
falsehoods,  as  she  herself  stated  to  one  of  those  gen- 
tlemen, ''that  she  could,  at  any  time,  make  and  char 
itp  a  tnystery.'^^ 

Moreover,  he  is  convinced,  not  only  from  her  own 

voluntary  and   solemn  confessions,  but  from  many 

facts  witnessed  by  those  gentlemen,  before  alluded  to, 

that  she  has  been  the  dupe  of  some  designing  person 

or  persons,  to  him  unknown;  who,  while  knowing 

her  to  be  one  in  whom  no  confidence  could  be  placed, 

were  using  her  as  a  mere  tool  to  fight  popery,  not  for 

the  sake  of  truth,  but  for  the  sake  of  gain.     Common 

justice  demands  the  protection  of  the  slandered;  and, 

although  the  writer  is,  and  ever  will  be,  opposed  in 

religious  views  to  the  Roman  Catholic  church,  yet  he 

is  not  more  opposed  to  their  religious  views  than  he 

is  to  the  method  adopted  by  this  unfortunate  woman, 

and  those  persons  to  him   unknown,  to  vilify  and 

blast  the  character  of  the  clergymen  of  that  church. 

Lastly,  He  is  convinced  that  the  Rev.  Dr.  Brownlee 
is  neither  directly  nor  indirectly  implicated  in  any 
way  whatever,  with  her  deceptions;  but,  in  his  zeal 
lor  the  cause  of  Protestantism,  has  been  most  inno- 
cently deceived  by  her  and  others.  Every  one  who 
knows  him  must  believe  that  he  would  rather  go  to 
the  stake,  than  sanction  any  sort  of  imposition. 

The  writer  is  fully  aware  that  by  coming  forward 
with  these  statements,  he  is  exposinghimself  to  much 
censure,  and  is  doing  that,  which  will  greatly  displease 


1 


ly  prove 
woman 
ncocting 
ose  gen- 
md  clear 

her  own 
n  many 
uded  to, 
I  person 
uiowing 
J  placed , 
,  not  for 
/ommon 
ed;  and, 
posed  in 
I,  yet  he 
than  he 
w^onian, 
ify  and 
lurch, 
rownlee 
in  anv 
his  zeal 
5t  inno- 
ne  who 
ir  go  to 

brward 
o  much 
spleaso 


miny  of  his  friends.    But,  having  himself  been  the 
Ti'tim  of  the  bitter  pen  of  cahtmny,  he  has  a  fellow- 
keVmo  for  those  Catholic  gentlemen  and  lad.es,  (the 
Nuns)  from  whom,  however,  much  he  may  differ 
in  religious  views,  yet  eom.non  jusuce  demands  the.r 
protection  and  exoneration  by  him,  in  whose  hands 
Providence  has  placed  the  means  of  ineontrovertibly 
proving  their  innocence;  or  what  is  the  same  thing 
demonstrating  that  tlieir  accuser  is  one  in  whose  tes- 
timony  no  reliance  whatever  can  be  placed.    More- 
over it  will  be  observed  he  attacks  no  one-he  accu- 
ses no  one-that  guilt  has  been  somewhere,  no  one 
can  for  a  moment  doubt;  but  with  this  he  has  nothing 
to  do-  if  he  can  exonerate  the  accused,   and  induce 
tliose,  who  have  innocently  espoused  her  cause,  to 
,vithdraw  forthwith,  he  considers  he  has  done  on  y  his 
duty  to  God-to  the  public-and  to  the  cause  of  real 

relision.  ,11 

The  prhicipal  gentlemen  who  witnessed  the  herem- 
after  mentioned  facts  and  many  other  extraordmary 
ones  during  her  six  days  residence  m  Philadelphia, 
and  who  have  signed   as  witnesses  the  documents 

published  in  this  tract,  are,  ,   ,      r      .u 

1.  The  Rev.  W.  L.  M'Calla,  pastor  of  the  fourth 

Presbyterian  Church. 

2.  The  Rev.   W.  Ramsay,  late  Missionary  from 

India,  George  Street  near  Broad. 

3.  Mr.  W.  H.  Scott,  (merchantj  Commerce  Street 

near  Fourth.  ,  ^ 

4.  Mr.  H.  McKeen,  Market  Street  near  Fourth, 

(Elder  in  the  Presbyterian  Church.) 


6 

5.  Mr.  Thomas  Fenner,  of  the  firm  of  George  W. 
Tryon  and  Co,  North  Second  Street. 

6.  Mr.  W.  C.  Sleigh,  Jun. 

7.  The  compiler.  Dr.  W.  W.    Sleigh,   No.   285 
Race  Street,  Philadelphia,  and  several  others. 

w.  W.  S. 


'# 


rge  W. 


0.   285 
.  S. 


MARIA    MONK'S    PRETENDED 
ABDUCTION,  &c. 


CHAPTER  I. 

MARIA    monk's    account   OF    HER   ABDUCTION     BY     SIX 
PRIESTS. AND  HER  ARRIVAL  IN  PHILADELPHIA. 

On  Wednesday,  August  the  IGth,  1837,  about  ten 
o'clock,  A.  M.  Maria  Monk  called  at  my  residence, 
285  Race  St.  Philadelphia,  and  informed  me  that  she 
had  arrived  in  this  city,  the  night  before,  from  New 
York,  in  the  night  line,  in  company  with  the  Rev. 
Messrs.  Phelan,  Dufresne,  Martin,  and  three   other 
Roman  Catholic  Priests,  with  whose  names  she  was 
unacquainted.     That  she  came  here  in  consequence 
of  the  persuasion  of  those   gentlemen,  particularly 
Mr.  Phelan,  who,  she  said,  had  promised  her  four 
thousand  dollars,  if  she  would  accompany  them  to 
Alexandria,  and  that  he  (Mr.  Phelan)  intended  short- 
ly to  leave  the  Roman  Catholic  church,  and  marry 
her.     That  none  of  her  Protestant  friends  in  New 
York  knew  any  thing  about  her  coming  off— that 
these  Priests  conducted  her  on  her  arrival  in  this  city, 
as  before  stated,  at  12  o'^dock  at  nighty  to  the  Catho- 
lic Orphan  Asylum,  corner  of  Seventh  and  Spruce 
Streets;  to  which  she  was  conveyed  in  a  carriage,  in 


8 

which ybt/r  of  the  Priests  went,  two  of  them  walking 
till  they  arrived  at  the  said  Asylum.  And  in  that  said 
Catiiolic  Asylum,  she  slept  on  that  night,  (Tuesday, 
August  15lh.) — That  next  morning  she  breakfasted 
there  with  the  Prieots.  That  the  Kev.  Mr.  Hughes, 
said  grace  on  that  occasion.  A  bottle  of  bitters,  made 
of  rum,  she  said,  and  some  bitter  stuff,  having  been 
iirstsent  round  the  table.  That,  being  in  an  adjoining 
rooir.  some  minutes  afterwards,  she  overheard  the 
Priests  conversing  about  her,  and  one  of  them  said 
*'  Damn  her  we  have  liad  trouble  enough  with  her 
already!"  Upon  which  she  left  the  Asylum,  and 
wandering  about  the  town,  she  saw  the  name  of  "  Dr. 
Sleigh"  on  the  door  of  my  residence,  into  which  she 
entered,  and  made  these  statements. 

The  above  is  a  summary  of  what  she  related  to  me 
as  her  excuse  for  calling  at  my  house,  and  all  of  which 
will  be  found  substantiated  by  the  other  gentlemen, 
to  whom  she  afterwards  repeated  the  same,  as  also  by 
the  statements  to  the  same  effect,  signed  by  her. — 
Iking  somewhat  astonished  to  see  her,  with  whom 
I  was  very  little  acquainted,  enter  my  house,  I  said 
"what!  have  you  come  off  with  those  men  whom 
you  have  stated  to  be  murderers?" 

"  Oh,  yes,"  she  replied;  "  Phelan  has  promised  me 
four  thousand  dollars  when  we  reach  Alexandria,  and 
that  he  will  shortly  after  marry  me!"  Forgetting  for 
the  moment  whom  she  meant  by  "  Phelan,"  I  said 
♦♦PAf/t//?.'"  "Yes,"  she  replied,  "  Phelan,  the  father 
of  mv  child!" 

♦'  Well  Maria,"  said  I,  "  if  your  book  be  true^  you 
are  going  to  be  destroyed!"  *'  I  am  not  at  all  afraid," 
said  she;  *'I  never  saw  the  man  yet  of  whom  I  wat 


I 


afraid, 
and  otl 
find  I  1 
Jesuits 
you?" 
Doctor 
all  mac 
thing 
"has  1 
for  my 
you  no 
busine 
do  let 
advise 
are  in 
sented 
knew 
he  wa 
gentle 
While 
impat 
miss 
to  ob 
back 
Itl 
with 
a  sis 
meet 
did  o 
persu 
Princ 
her,  ( 
testai 
Mon 


walking 
that  said 
rueriday, 
jakfasled 
Hughes, 
rs,  made 
iiiff  been 
idjoining 
eard  tlie 
lem  said 
with  her 
luni,  and 
of  "Dr. 
hich  she 

ted  to  me 
of  which 
inllemen, 
IS  also  by 
»y  her. — 
th  whom 
le,  I  said 
in  whom 

inised  me 
idria,  and 
etting  for 
I,"  I  said 
:he  father 

true^  you 
I  afraid," 
3m  I  wa» 


9 

afraid.     Besides  1  have  been  so  ill  uvatcd  by  Slocum 
and  others,  that  I  am  siok  of  all  this  controversy.     I 
find  1  have  gone  from  Catholic  Jesuits  to  Protestant 
Jesuits."  "  Has  Dr.  Brownlee,"  said  I,  "  ever  ill  used 
you?"     "Never,  never,"  said  she;  "but  the  poor 
Doctor,  has  been  deceived  like  myself.     They  have    , 
all  made  well  by  my  books,  and  I  can  hardly  get  any    , 
tiling  from  them.     Dr.  Brownlee,"  continued  she, 
"has  had,  out  of  his  own  pocket  to  give  me  money 
for  my  wants!"     "  To  all  this,"  I  replied,  "  I  can  give 
you  no  advice.     I  have  never  mixed  myself  up  in  your 
business;  but  for  the  sake  of  your  friend  Dr.  Brownlee, 
do  let  me  send  for  a  few  of  his  friends,  that  they  may 
advise  you;  for  recollect,  if  your  hook  be  true,  you 
are  in  a  most  dangerous  position."     She  having  con- 
sented, I  sent  off  for  the  Rev.  Dr.  Cuyler,  who  J 
knew  was  a  particular  friend  of  Dr.  Brownlee,  but 
he  was  out  of  town.    I  then  sent  for  several  other 
gentlemen,  many  of  whom  were  also  out  of  town. 
While  waiting  for  their  coming  she   appeared  very 
impatient  to  be  let  go,  stating  that  the  Priests  would 
miss  her  from  the  Asylum,  as  she  had  only  run  out 
to  obtain  some  tooth  ache  drops,  and  she  must  be 
back  at  12  o'clock. 

I  then  asked  her  how  those  priests  communicated 
with  her  in  New  York.  She  said,  they  sent  to  her 
a  sister  of  charity,  who  induced  her  to  consent  to 
meet  Phelan  in  the  street.  This,  she  contined,  she 
did  on  Tuesday  morning  (August  15th,)  and  that  he 
persuaded  her  to  accompany  him  to  the  asylum  in 
Prince  street.  There  he  held  much  conversation  with 
her,  during  which  he  observed  to  her,  that  as  the  Pro- 
testant Committee  were  now  about  leaving  town  for 
Montreal,  to  examine  the  Hotel  Dieu  Nunnery  there, 


10 


Ui 


that  if  she  accompanied  the  Committee  they  would 
all  be  exposed  and  ruined,  and  the  Nunnery  torn 
down.  By  these  appeals  to  my  feelings,  and  his 
promise  to  marry  me,  I  was  induced  to  leave  New 
York  with  them  that  evening,  for  Alexandria. 

My  friend,  Mr.  Fenner,  arriving,  put  an  end  to  this 
conversation,  and  she  having  promised  to  return  to  my 
house  in  the  course  of  a  short  time,  I  received  from 
her  the  following  order,  in  case  she  should  be  de- 
tained by  the  Priests: 

"  I,  Maria  Monk,  formerly  of  the  Montreal  Nun- 
nery, and  f''")m  New  York  yesterday,  having  come 
to  this  city  with  father  Phelan,  Dnfiesne,  and  others, 
do  hereby  autliorise  the  bearers  of  this,  to  demand 
me  from  the  Orphan  Asylum  in  this  city,  should 
they  deny  that  I  am  there." 
^  MARIA  MONK.  • 

Witnessed  by  us, 

W.  W.  Sleigh. 
Thos,  Fenner. 
Philadelphia^  August  \Qth,  1837. 


I  confess  that  I  was  apprehensive  that  she  might 
be  detained  in  the  Asylum,  and  from  thence  might 
be  carried  out  of  the  city.  I  therefore  requested  Mr. 
Fenner  and  my  eldest  son  to  follow  and  watch  her 
going  into  the  house,  to  rejnain  near  liie  building, 
as  she  said  if  detained,  she  would  hold  up  a  white 
handkerchief  at  the  window  a&  a  sign,  that  she  had 
lost  her  liberty.,  and  was  forcibly  detained.  They 
accordingly  accompanied  her  to  the  Asylum,  saw  her 
enter  therein,  and  wailed  till  she  came  out,  which  she 
did,  safe  and  sound,  in  about  fifteen  minutes.  During 


ey  would 
nery  torn 
,  and  his 
iive  New 
a. 

nd  to  this 
urn  to  my 
ved  from 
Id  be  de- 

eal  Nun- 
ing  come 
id  others, 
)  demand 
y,  should 

[ONK. 


he  might 
ice  might 
Gsted  Mr. 
i^atch  her 
building, 

— —  ■— .  —-——Mi 

1  a  white 
,  she  had 
1.  They 
,  saw  her 
^vhich  she 
5.  During 


11 

her  absence  the  Rev.    William  Ramsay,  Mr.   W 
Scott,  and  other  gentlemen  arrived  at  my  house,  and 
in  the  evening  a  regular  -  council  of  war  was  held. 
Havincr  prevailed  on  Mrs.  Sleigh  to  conseht  to  her 
remaining  in  our  f\rmily  till  Br.  Brownlee  arrived,  I 
offered  her  shelter  till  then;  and  forthwith  wrote  oft 
to  Dr.  Brownlee,  informing  him  of  her  arrival  here, 
relating  to  him  the  substance  of  what  she  had  told 
me,  and  requesting  him  to  come  here  immediately, 
or  give  advice  as  to  what  was  be  a  to  be  done. 

On  Thurs^day  evening  I  received  an  answer  from 
Dr.  Brownlee  informing  me  that  he  could  not  leave 
New  York,  but  that  her  guardian  the  Rev.  Mr.  Slo- 
cum  would  come  the  next  day:  and  at  the  same  time 
earnestly  advising  me  to  depend  on  nothing  that  could 
not  be  satisfactorily  proved.     Most  of  this  day  was 
employed   in  examining   her,  and  endeavouring  by 
some  means  or  other  to  ascertain  the  truth   of  her 
statements:  and  to  such  an  extern  did  she  carry  on 
her  deception  that  the  following  letter  vas  wrHten  by  . 
her  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Phelan. 

Dear  Father  Felan:~"You   are  well  acquainted 
with  the  sufferings  and  dangers  to  which  I  have  been 
accustomed  among  our  society.     On  this  account,  as 
soon  as  I  came  to  the  Philadelphia  Catholic  Asylum, 
at  the  corner  of  Spruce  and  Seventh,  my  suspicions 
were  excited,  of  evil  intentions,  among  these  Phila- 
delphia Catholics.     These  suspicions  were  increased 
by  the  effect  produced  by  the  drink  which  I  got.     I 
have  been  suffering  ever  since,  with  sickness  of  the 
stomach,  so  that  I  cannot  again  consent  to  put  myself 
into  their  hands.     I  have  been  tossed  upon  an  ocean 
of  temptation  and  uncertainty,  about  my  present  eon- 


12 


dition,  and  the  course  which  I  should  accept  for  the 
future.  Shall  I,  or  shall  I  not  return  to  New  York? 
I  cannot  agree  to  progress  with  you,  even  if  I  should 
recover  from  my  present  attack,  unless  you  will  give 
me  the  most  solemn  assurances,  that  you  are  sincere 
in  your  promises,  and  that  you  will  not  leave  me  to  the 
mercy  of  others.  I  know  not  what  to  do.  If  you  have 
any  counsel  to  give,  do  not  expect  me  to  expose  my- 
self to  personal  danger  againj  you. must  let  me  know 
your  plans,  without  any  one  else  being  present,  or  ac- 
quainted with  them.  But,  perhaps,  you  are  ready 
to  give  up  such  a  nervous,  worthless  creature.  If 
you  have  any  answer,  I  will  call  and  pick  it  up  at  the 
asylum. 

(Signed)  MARIA  MONK. 

This  letter  was  to  be  delivered  by  her,  in  order  to 
get  a  direct  interview  with  the  Rev.  gentleman,  that 
he  might  be  detected  in  her  company;  but  by  various 
excuses,  and  by  procrastinating  from  time  to  time, 
she  never  took  the  letter. 

Next  day  (Friday)  the  Rev.  Mr.  Slocum  (her  legal 
guardian)  arrived.  He  exhibited  such  a  perfect  indiffer- 
ence, such  an  unaccountable  lukewarmness  about  her 
interest,  that  not  one  of  the  Protestant  gentlemen 
mentioned  in  these  sheets,  but  lost  all  confidence  in 
him:  and  thf  7  came  to  most  unfavourable  conclusions 
respecting  his  conduct.  It  appeared  to  us  he  did 
not  notv  care  one  cent  what  became  of  her.  Indeed 
he  stated  to  this  effect  in  the  presence  of  several  of  us. 

As  we  had  now  come  to  the  determination  (from 
various  strange  occurrences,)  to  sift  this  business 
thoroughly;  to  protect  the  innocent,  and  exoose  the 

-         .  _  .  ^ 

guilty:  and,  considering  at  this  time  that  Maria  Monk 


attack 
or  pen 


1 


t  for  the 
w  York? 
I  should 
will  give 
e  sincere 
me  to  the 
you  have 
pose  my- 
me  knoMT 
nt,  or  ac- 
ire  ready 
tnre.  If 
up  at  the 

ONK. 

order  to 
nan,  that 
y  various 
to  time, 

her  legal 
i  indiffer- 
bout  her 
mile  men 
dence  in 
iclusions 
I  he  did 
Indeed 
ral  of  us. 
•n  (from 
business 
DOse  the 

1. 

ia  Monk 


13 

was  only  an  unfortunate  dupe,  made  the  mere  tool  to 
attack  Popery,  and  to  produce  gain  to  some  person, 
or  persons,  to  us  unknown,  we  subjected  the  Rev. 
gentleman  to  rather  a  severe  examination;   and   on 
his  replying  to  a  question  put  to  him  by  Mr.  Fenner, 
to  the  effect,  what  was  to  become  of  Maria  Monk, 
when  his  guardianship  would  terminate;  and  what 
would  she  then  have  to  support  her,  from  the  receipts 
of  her  works?  he  replied:  "  I  don't  know,  what  is  to 
become  of  her;  and  I  don't  think  she  will  have  any- 
thing  coming  to  her!"  The  perfectly  indifferent  man- 
ner  in  which  these  words  were  expressed  more  than 
shocked  us,  and  convinced  us,  that  the   unfortunate 
Maria  Monk  ought  to  take  legal  advice  immediately, 
and  be  guided  by  some  legal  adviser.  Accordingly,  not 
wishing  to  interfere  in  her  pecuniary  concerns,  we  de- 
termined she  should  send  f^r  a  lawyer,  and  on  my 
recommendation,  my  talented  and  -highly  honourable 
friend,   Mr.  Constant   Guillou,   was  sent  for.     He 
shortly  came  to  her,  and  on  her  making  a  full  state- 
ment to  him  of  all  her  affairs;  the  amount  of  money 
Mr.  Slocum  had  received,  &c.,  he  advised  her  to  have 
him  arrested.     No  sooner  said  than  done.    The  Rev. 
Mr.    Slocum   was   arrested,   on  her   oath,    for  two 
thousand  dollars,  and  remained  in  the  custody  of  the 
officer  till  near  five  o'clock:  when  he,  not  being  able 
to  procure  bail,  Mr.  Scott  and  I,  not  liking  to  see  him 
taken  to  prison,  went  bail  for  him,  for  two  thousand 
dollars  each;  he  having  first  written  to  us  the  an- 
nexed letter;  the  promises  in  which  he  did  not  fulfil. 

To  Messrs,  Scott  and  Sleigh. 
Gentlemen:— I  do  hereby  pledge  myself  as   a 


14 

clergyman,  and  man  of  honor,  to  return  to  this  city, 
on  or  before  Wednesday  next,  in  order  to  exonerate 
you  from  the  bail,  which  you  have  kindly  entered 
into  on  my  behalf,  with  the  sheriff,  for  $2000. 

'  I  remain,  J.  J.  SLOCUM. 

"Witness,  T.  Fenner. 
Philadelphia,  August  15,  1837. 

He  imn^diately  started  off  for  New  York;  and 
Wednesday  has  passed  without  the  fulfilment  of  his 
solemn  promise,  "  as  a  clerg:yman  and  a  man  of  honor!" 
This  day,  however,  I  have  received  the  following  letter 
from  him,  even  without  post  paying  it,  or  expressing 
the  smallest  thanks  to  us,  strangers  to  him,  who  saved 
him  from  going  to  prison,  by  becoming  security  to  the 
amount  of  four  thousand  dollars! 

New  York,  August  23,  1837. 
DocT.  Sleigh: — Sir,  the  object  of  this  note,  is  to 
inform  you,  that  Maria  Monk  has  transmitted  a  letter 
to  her  lawyer,  directing  him  to  suspend  all  further 
proceedings  in  her  suit  against  me,  and  of  course, 
has  thus  rendered  it  unnecessary  for  me  to  send  on 
the  bonds  of  ny  brother.  We  have  agreed  to  settle 
on  Saturday  next;  but  should  any  thing  occur  to  pre- 
vent an  amicable  settlement,  and  should  the  suit  be  re- 
sumed again,  you  and  Mr.  Scott  shall  be  indemnified 
in  respect  to  your  obligations  in  my  behalf.  Please 
inform  Mr.  Scott  of  the  state  of  the  case.  Yours  re- 
spectfully, J.  J.  SLOCUM. 

Mr.  Guillou,  the  attorney  therein  alluded  to,  did  not 
up  to  Thursday  evening  receive  the  orders  to  sus- 
pend the  proceedings  in  the  suit,  which  Mr.  Slocum 
states  **  Maria  Monk  has  transmitted  to  him!" 


'^* 


15 


I  this  city, 
exonerate 
ly  entered 
00. 
)CUM. 


fork;  and 
ent  of  his 
)f  honor!'* 
i^ing  letter 
xpressing 
vho  saved 
ity  to  the 

,  1837. 
3te,  is  to 
d  a  letter 
11  further 
if  course, 
)  send  on 
[  to  settle 
ir  to  pre- 
suit  be  re- 
lemnified 
Please 
iTours  re- 
CUM. 

),  did  not 
I  to  sus- 
.  Slocum 


I 


On  Saturday,  we  were  still  urging  her  to  have  this 
whole  business  thoroughly  investigated;  but  still  with 
some  excuse  or  other  she  put  us  off.  Now  she  wrote 
the  following  letter,  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Phelan,  the  other 
one  being  considered  too  long. 

Dr.  Father  Felan: — I  am  sure  you  are  astonish- 
ed at  what  has  become  of  me  since  our  arrival  here. 
Slocum  came  after  me,  but  I  had  him  arrested  for 
$2000  by  my  attorney,  a  good  Catholic  gentleman. 
I  would  be  glad  to  speak  to  you  any  where,  or  at  any 
time  you  appoint.     Yours, 

M.  MONK. 

I  will  call  for  an  answer,  at  3  o'clock,  to-day. 
Saturday,  Aug.  19,  1837. 

Sunday  Morning.     Mr.  Hogan  arrived  from  New 
York,  with  another  letter  from  Dr.  Brownlee  to  me, 
and  the  annexed  letter  to  Maria  Monk,  from  Mr.  A. 
Bruce  general  agent  of  the  Protestant  Association, 
which  was  handed  to  her  in  my  presence,  which  was 
found  by  one  of  my  family  in  the  presence  of  my  ser- 
vant, under  her  pillow,  shortly  after  she  had  left  for 
New  York  on  Monday  afternoon. 

Copy  of  a  letter  addressed  to  "  Miss  Maria  Monk, 
at  Dr.  Sleigh's,  Philadelphia'.—  My  dear  friend: 
I  give  thanks  to  God,  that  he  has  preserved  you 
hitherto  from  falling  again  into  the  snares  of  deceivers, 
who  would  prove  your  dertroyers.  For  this  I  prayed 
earnestly  and  constantly,  since  we  parted  that  Tues- 
day morning.  If  I  had  not  then  been  so  lame,  I 
would  not  have  parted  with  you,  tiU  1  lad  seen  you 
to  the  boat,  and  perhaps  would  have  shared  in  the  perils 

^C    4V,/»     Tr/%Trr.n.».     Klit        llOfVlonC        oll     fVlig     ITI'AV    ilim    (lilt    fOF 


16 

the  better.    My  prayer  to  God  is,  that  you  yet  be 
brought  out  of  all  your  troubles.     I  hope  you  draw 
near  to  God  for  deliverance.     I  am  glad  that  this  will 
be  handed  you,  by  our  mutual  friend  Mr.  Hogan. 
Fear  not  to  take  his  advice.     You  know  him,  and  I 
trust  he  is  a  friend  that  loveth  at  all  times,  and  a 
brother  in  adversity,  as  Solomon  says.     Mr.  Hogan 
will  tell  you  what  I  told  him  as  to  the  pleasant  and 
profitable  management  of  Miss  Read's  matters.  ..i.  He 
will  also  tell  you  what  we  concluded  would  be  the 
best  way  for  you  to  recover  your  money,  and  get 
your  present  affairs  made  straight  by  a  committee, 
who  will  render  tlieir  best  services  gratuitously,  both 
for  your  sake,  and  the  sake  of  truth.     I  was  glad  to 
see  your  name  written  by  yourself,  to  an  article  in 
Dr.  Sleigh's  letter  to  Dr.  Brownlee.  If  you  think  well 
of  this  plan,  it  will  have  this  good  effect,  that  not 
one  of  those  who  annoyed  you  formerly,  will  have  it 
in  their  power  to  do  so  then.    And  I  feel  very  confi- 
dent that  various  good  results  would  follow. 

I  am,  as  ever,  my  dear  friend,  yours  affectionately, 
till  we  meet,  which  I  hope  will  be  soon. 

(Signed)  Aw.  BRUCE." 

The  above  is  a  copy  of  a  letter,  addressed  to  Maria 
Monk,  signed  Aw.  Bruce. 

THOMAS  FENNER. 
W.  H.  SCOTT. 

The  above  is  a  true  copy  of  the  letter  with  the 
above  signatures,  which  was  handed  to  Maria  Monk 
by  Mr.  Hogan,  in  our  presence,  on  August  20th, 
1837.  w.  W.  SLEIGH. 

W.  C,  SLEIGH. 


)u  yet  be 
^ou  draw 
:t  this  will 
'.  Hogan. 
m,  and  I 
;s,  and  a 
r.  Hogan 
isant  and 
ers.  .'.X  He 
d  be  the 
and  get 
mmittee, 
sly,  both 
s  glad  to 
irticle  in 
link  well 
that  not 
11  have  it 
ry  confi- 

ionately, 

CE." 

to  Maria 

vith  the 
a  Monk 
3t  20th, 
IGH. 
IGH, 


17 

Monday y  August  21«^  was  the  last  day  she  spent 
in  my  house,  in  the  morning  of  which  day,  I  advised 
her  earnestly  to  take  Dr.  Brownlee's  advice  conveyed 
in  his  letter  brought  by  Mr.  Hogan,  that  she  should 
return  to  New  York  ^s  soon  as  possible,  first  having 
it  proved,  beyond  all  possibilityof  doubt,  that  she  was 
brought  here  by  Priests,  at  which  advice  she  jumped 
up  ir^a  rage,  said  we  all  wanted  to  get  rid  of  her;  that 
she  would  not  go  to  New  York;  she  knew  her  own 
business;   but  she  would  instantly  quit  my  house, 
which  she  accordingly  did,  flying  out  in  a  passion.  All 
this  happened  in  the  presence  of  Mr.  Fenner,  who 
had  just  called  in.  He  remained  a  short  time  to  see  if 
she  would  reuirn,  which  she  accordingly  did — consi- 
derably cooled;  and  then  upon  our  all  requesting  her 
to  do  just  as  she  pleased,  she  said  she  would  go  to 
her  legal  adviser  and  whatever   he  advised  her,  that 
she  would  do.    Accordingly  she  went  to  his  ofliice,  at 
which  place,  many  of  those  gentlemen  who  had  in- 
terested themselves  in  her  behalf,  met  and  consulted 
what  was  best   to  be  done;  her   lawyer  clearly  set 
forth  the  impropriety  of  going  to  New  York  until 
after  Wednesday.     Then  she  came  back  doubly  firm 
in  her  determination  not  to  go  then,  and  remained  in 
that  state  of  mind  so  positive,  that  she  asked  Mrs. 
Sleigh   if  she   could  recommend  her  to  a  boarding 
house,  where  she  would  be  safe.     Mrs.  S.  mentioned 
one  private  family  which  she  thought  might  be  induced 
to  receive  her;  and  one  boarding  house  for  her  con- 
sideration. In  this  state  of  mind  she  remained  firm  un- 
til  about   two  o'clock  that  day,  when  Mr.  Hogan 
came  and  had  an  interview  with  her,  the  purport  of 
which  I  am  not  acquainted  with,  but  so  completely 

2* 


18 


was  she  changed  in  mind,  that  we  had  as  hot  a  con- 
test to  try  to  persuade  her  to  take  her  lawyer's  advice 
and  stay  till  after  Wednesday,  as  we  had  in  the  morn- 
ing to  persuade  her  to  go  to  New  York.  All  our  per- 
suasions and  the  advice  again  given  by  her  lawyer, 
who  kindly  came  to  my  house  to  advise  her,  were  to 
no  purpose.   Go  she  would. 

I  expostulated,  over,  and  over  again,  against  her 
leaving  Philadelphia  before  this  extraordinary  "abduc- 
tion" was  fully  proved.  I  said,  if  it  be  true,  that  she 
has  been  brought  off  from  New  York  by  the  Priests, 
there  will  be  no  occasion  to  go  to  Montreal,  to  exa- 
mine the  Hotel  Dieu  Nunnery  in  that  city;  for  no  one 
could  then  doubt  the  truth  of  her  works;  but  if  she 
has  not  been  now  abducted,  her  character  is  for- 
ever blasted!  I  also  reminded  her  and  Mr.  Hogan, 
that  Dr.  Brownlee,in  his  letter  to  me,  most  earnestly 
implored  us  not  to  depend  on  her  statement  alone; 
but,  to  do  all  in  our  power,  to  see  whether  she  did  or 
did  not  stati  the  truth.  AH  would  not  do,  she  and 
Hogan  were  determined  not  to  remain  nor  to  take 
another  step  in  the  investigation,  contrary  to  the  ad- 
vice of  all  the  gentlemen,  one  only  excepted,  who 
exerted  themselves  here  in  her  behalf.  Finding  they 
were  determined  to  go,  notwithstanding  all  our  advice, 
I  then  said,  now  come  off  at  once  to  the  Orphan  Asy- 
lum, and  let  us  at  all  events,  who  have  innocently 
been  drawn  into  this  business,  have  some  shelter 
from  the  attacks  which  we  may  expect  for  protecting 
her  while  in  this  city.  She  would  not! — Then  on 
her  going  out  of  my  house,  I  spoke  thus:  "  Now, 
Maria  Monk,  I  call  all  these  gerulcmcu  to  witness, 


^ 


1^ 


m 


ot  a  con- 
's advice 
he  morn- 
l  our  per- 
r  lawyer, 
were  to 

linst  her 
r  "abduc- 
,  that  she 
3  Priests, 
1,  to  exa- 
)r  no  one 
ut  if  slie 
?r  is  for- 
,  Hogan, 
earnestly 
nt  alone; 
he  did  or 
she  and 
■  to  take 
,0  the  ad- 
ted,  who 
ing  they 
ir  advice, 
ban  Asy- 
inocently 
B  shelter 
rotecting 
Then  on 
"  Now, 
witness, 


19 

that  1  solemnly  protest  I  do  not  believe  that  you  were 
ever  brought  off  here  by  Priests." 

To  which   Mr.  Hogan  replied:  "  Perhaps,  I  will 
return,  Doctor,  and  put  it  to  the  tcstl" 

I  make  no  comment — 1  accuse  none— I  state  facts 
undeniable  facts— let  the  public  judgCu 


CHAPTER  H. 


Maria  Monk's  Statements. 


That  she  left  New  York 
on  the  1 5th  day  of  August, 
1837,  without  any  of  her 
friends  in  that  city  know- 
ing her  intention.  See 
statements,"G"and"H," 
p.  23. 


Refutation  thereof. 


The  very  contrary  ap- 
pears to  have  been  the 
case.  SeeMr.Aw.Bruce's 
letter,  (p.  15,)  in  which  he 
intimates  he  was  fully 
aware  of  her  departure^ 
and  "  would  have  accom- 
panied her  to  the  boat,  and 
perhaps  shared  the  perils 
of  the  voyage,  only  that 
he  was  so  lame!" 


2 


2 

That  she  left  New  York  She  did  not:  she  left 
on  the  above  day  with  six  New  York  alone:  lee  Mr. 
Roman  Catholic  Priests,  Bruce's  letter;  also  Mrs. 
viz.  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Davy's  statement,(I)p.25, 
Pheian,  DulVcbuc,  Martin,     in  wluch  that  lauy  rctatcn, 


i 


n 


20 


and    three    other   priests     that    Maria    Monk    was 

with    whose    names   she     alone  in  the  boat, 
was   unacquainted.      See 

statements  above. 


3 

That  she  came  in  the 
"night  line."  See  state- 
ment, dittj. 


That  she  was  conduct- 
ed from  tlie  place  of  arri- 
val in  Philadelphia,  by- 
four  priests  in  a  carriage; 
two  of  them  walking.  See 
her  statement,  ditto. 


That  she  was,  on  her 
arrival  in  Philadelphia, 
conducted  immediately  to 
the  Catholic  Orphan  Asy- 
lum, corner  of  Spruce  and 
7th  streets.  See  state- 
ment, ditto. 


3 

She  did  not:  she  ar- 
rived in  the  afternoon 
boat:  see  Mr.  Bruce's  let- 
ter, also  Mrs;  Davy's 
statement. 

4 

She  was  conducted 
from  the  boat  by  a  Mr. 
Jeffreys  of  New  York, 
who  was  travelling  in 
company  with  some  la- 
dies, his  cousins.  See 
Mrs.  Davy's  statement, 
(I.  p.  25.) 

5 

She  was  conducted 
from  the  boat  by  the 
above  named  gentleman  to 
the  United  Slates  Hotel, 
and  from  thence  to  Mrs. 
Davy's  boarding  house, 
wliich  is  within  a  few 
doors  of  the  hotel.  See 
Mrs.  Davy's  statement, 
ditto. 


,j^ 


21 


onk    was 
t. 


':  she  ar- 
afternoon 
ruce's  let- 
Davy's 


sonducted 
)y  a  Mr. 
w  York, 
elling  in 
some  la- 
ns.  See 
tatement, 


onducted 
by  the 
tie  man  to 
s  Hotel, 
to  Mrs. 
y  house, 
I  a  few 
tel.  See 
tatement, 


6 

That  she  slept,  the  night 
of  her  arrival  in  Philadel- 
phia, (Tuesday  night,  Au- 
gust 1 5th,)  in  the  Catho- 
lic Orphan  Asylum,  cor- 
ner of  Spruce  and  7th 
streets.  See  her  state- 
ment, ditto. 

7 
That  she  breakfasted, 
the  morning  after  her  arri- 
val in  Philadelphia,  (Wed- 
nesday, August  16th,)  in 
the  Catholic  Orphan  Asy- 
lum, corner  of  Spruce  and 
Seventh  streets.  See  state- 
ment, ditto. 

8 

That  after  breakfast,  in 
the  Orphan  Asylum,  on 
that  day,  (Wednesday, 
August  16th,)  she  over- 
heard the  priests  speaking 
about  her;  and  one  of  them 
saying,  "Damn  her,  we 
have  had  trouble  enough 
with  her  already."  See 
her  statement,  ditto. 


That 


9 

the 


R< 


Ml 


She  slept  that  night  in 
Mrs.  Davy's  boarding 
house,  1 63  Chesnut  street. 
See  that  lady's  statement. 
She  never  slept  nor  spent 
one  hour  in  the  Catholic 
Orphan  Asylum.  See 
statement,  ditto, 

7 

She  breakfasted  that 
morning  in  Mrs.  Davy's 
house.  See  that  lady's 
statement.  She  never  ate 
a  bit  in  the  Catholic  Or- 
phan Asylum.  See  state- 
ment, ditto. 


8 
She  never  breakfasted 
in  that  Asylum;  she 
breakfasted  at  Mrs.  Da- 
vy's. No  priests  were 
there:  consequently  she 
could  not  hear  what  she 
stated.  See  Mrs.  Davy's 
statement;  also  statement, 
<.K.) 

9 
The  Rev=  Mr,  Hushes 


I 


22 


Hughes  said  grace  that 
morning  after  breakfast. 
See  statement,  ditto. 


was,  en  that  day,  in  St, 
Louis,  Mo.!  He  never 
breakfasted  at  Mrs.  Da- 
vy's, where  she  break- 
fasted that  morning.  See 
statement,  (K.) 

10 

This  was  utterly  im- 
possible, as  she  was  un- 
accompanied by  any 
priests,or  any  one  else, 
as  testified  to  by  the  gen- 
tleman mentioned  in  Mrs. 
Davy's  statement,  which 
see;  also  Mr.  Bruce's 
statement. 


10 

That  the  priests  who 
abducted  her  from  New 
York,  had  first  promised 
her  four  thousand  dollars 
as  a  remuneration  for  her 
consenting  to  go  off  with 
them,  and  not  to  go  to 
Montreal  with  the  Protes- 
tant Committee.  See  Rev. 
W.  Ramsay's  notes,  p.  33. 

11  11 

That  the  Rev.  Mr.  Phe-        Impossible!     No  such 
Ian,  who  was  one  of  those     person  accompanied  her. 
priests  that  abducted  her     See  above  statements, 
from  New  York,  promis- 
ed to  marry  her!   See  her 
statement,  ditto. 

13  12 

That  on  the  morning  of  She  never  breakfasted 

the    16th   August,   when  in   this    Asylum,    conse- 

she    break fiinjd    in    the  quently  this  tale  is  untrue, 

Catholic  0'i/<  \n  ^-.^ylum,  like    all     the    preceding 

in  Philad^j'phia,  with  the  ones.       See   statements, 

Catholic  priests,  a  bottle  ditto. 


of   bittei 

rum,  <fec 

round  th 

they    otl 

.which,  I 

I  was  pol 

the  prie 

refused. 

ment,  d: 

Thesi 
only  a  f 
the  pres 
are  con 
ferred  t 


DOCU 

Stai 
my  hoi 
consen 
by  her 

(G) 
the  fol 

city  y( 
fresne, 
from 
any  ol 
com  in 

r»rnrni 

r 

would 


lav,  in  St, 
He  never 
Mrs.  Da- 
he  break- 
ling.    See 


itterly  im- 
e  was  un- 
by  any 
one  else, 
)y  the  gen- 
ledin  Mrs. 
ent,  which 
:.    Bruce'a 


No  such 
panied  her. 
ements. 


breakfasted 
.im,  conso- 
le is  untrue, 
preceding 
statements, 


23 


of   bitters,   composed  of 

rum,  <fec.,  was  first  sent 

round  the  table;  also  that 

they    offered    her   coffee 

which,  fearing  lest  there 
was  poison  put  in  it  by 
the  priests   she  said   she 
refused.     See   her   state- 
ment, ditto. 

These  statements  and  palpable  contradictions  are 
only  a  few,  out  of  numerous  others,  made  by  her  in 
the  presence  of  several  gentlemen,  and  some  of  which 
are  contained  in  documents  signed  by  her.  and  re- 
ferred to  above.     Comment  is  unnecessary. 


CHAPTER  HI. 

DOCUMENTS  SIGNED  BY  MARIA  MONK  AND  OTHERS. 

Statement  (G)  written  by  me,  on  her  first  visit  to 
my  house,  Wednesday,  (August  16th;  previous  to  my 
consenting  to  her  returning  to  the  Asylum,  and  signed 

by  her.  , 

(G)  Maria  Monk  called  on  me  this  day,  and  made 
the  following  statement:  That  she  has  arrived  in  this 
city  yesterday  in  company  with  Father  Phelan,  Du- 
fresne,  and  Martin  and  three  others,  in  the  night  line 
from  New  York.  That  neither  Dr.  Brownlee  nor 
any  of  her  Protestant  friends  knew  any  thing  of  her 
coming  off;  that  she  was  induced  to  do  so,  by  the 
r^vnmise  of  Father  Phelan  and  the  others,  that  they 
would  give  her  four  thousand  dollars  if  she  would  go 


24 

with  them  to  Alexandria,  and  not  go  with  the  com- 
mitte  to  Montreal  to  examine  the  Nunnery  there,  as 
if  she  did,  they  would  all  be  exposed  and  the  Nun- 
nery torn  down.  They  doa't  want  her  to  say  any 
thing  against  the  Protestants;  but  only  to  keep  quiet 
for  the  future.  She  says  she  is  under  no  restraint  and 
that  she  will  be  allowed  to  return  out  of  the  Nunnery 
when  she  pleases. 

MARIA  MONK. 

Philadelphia,  August  IQth,  1837. 
W.  W.  Sleigh. 
Thomas  Fenner. 


Statement  (  II  )  was  made  next  day  by  her,  com- 
mitted to  paper  by  the  Rev  .  W.  L.  M'Calla,  and  duly 
signed  by  her. 

"I  was  induced  a  few  days  ago  to  leave  New  York 
in  the  company  of  Father  Phelan,  and  five  more  Ro- 
man priests.    Father  Phelan  promised  that  if  I  would 
remove  with  him  to  the  South,  he  would  secure  me  four 
thousand  dollars  in  cash,  and  his  own  hand  in  marriage, 
as  he  intended  to  retire  from  the  priesthood  for  that 
purpose.     On  the   way  to  this   city,   they  gave  me 
something  to  drink  which  had  a  strange  and  evil  ef- 
fect upon  my  bodily  health,  and  affected  to  a  degree 
the  powers  of  my  mind.     They  lodged  me  in^he 
St.  Joseph's  Orphan  Asylum.    In  the  morning  I  acci- 
dentally overheard  a  priest  saying  to   the   company, 
*'  Damn  her,  she  has  given  us  so  much  trouble,"  &c. 
muttering  enough  to  alarm  me,  and  make  me  deter- 
mine to  seek  other  protection.     I  did  so:  but  not 
knowing  what  success  the  priests  may  yet  have,  in 

deCOVinP"  nr  kidnnnninn-    nr  o^'tr""*""??    -l-"--,, ,1- 

.•  -  3  --  — * — ri'*"6'  ^^  vAiFaT-iiiig  uiaavuvvais,  or 


25 

declarations  from  me,  I  now  leave  this  statement  and 
solemn  asseveration  that  I  have  told  the  truth  in  my 
narratives  against  the  Roman  Catholics;  and  I  sin- 
cerely desire  to  escape  the  cunning  priests,  but  such 
IS  my  folly  that  I  often  fear  that  I  shall  be  duped  by 
,    them  after  all. 

^^ ,  MARIA  MONK. 

Philadelphia,  August  1837. 
B.  Smith. 
W.  W.  Sleigh. 
Thomas  Fenner. 
W.  U.  Sleigh. 

Statement  (I)  of  Mrs.  Davy,  163  Chesnut  Street, 
Philadelphia,  a  Protestant  lady  of  high  respectability, 
and  the  owner  of  the  boarding  house,  to  which 
Maria  Monk  was  first  brought  on  her  arrival  in  this 
city. 

(I)  A  young  lady,  giving  her  name  as  "  Miss  Jane 
Howard,"  arrived  at  my  house  on  Tuesday,  August 
15th,  1837,  from  the  New  York  steamboat,  at  five 
o'clock  m  the  afternoon.  She  was  recommended  to 
me  by  Mr.  J.  H.  Jeffrey  of  New  York,  who  in  com- 
pany  with  two  or  three  ladies  (his  cousins)  met  her 
alone  on  board  the  steamboat,  and  although  not 
knowing  who  she  was,  yet  seeing  her  unprotected,  re- 
commended her  to  my  house. 

She  slept  that  night  (Tuesday)  at  my  house,  and 
after  having  breakfasted  with  me  the  next  morning, 
(Wednesday,  August  16, 1837,)  she  went  out,  leaving 
her  bandbox  in  my  care.  In  the  evening  of  the  next 
day,  she  called,  in  company  vith  a  young  gentleman, 
and  obtained  the  box-the  young  gentleman  is  now 
present,  in  company  with  other  gentlemen,  and  I  un- 


26 

derstand,  is  Mr.  W.  C.  Sleigh,  and  he  states  that  the 
same  lady  who  obtained  her  band-box,  and  who  rep- 
resented herself  to  be  "  Miss  Jane  Howard"  was 
"  Miss  Maria  Monk."  I  would  at  any  time,  recog- 
nise the  same  hidy. 

This  has  been  read  to  Mrs.  Davy,  of  163  Chesnut 
Street,  and   her  daughter,  who  in  our  presence  ac- 
knowledged it  to  be  correct  and  true. 
W.  H.  Scott. 
W.  W.  Sleigh. 
W.  C.  Sleigh. 
Philade/phla,  August  23r?,  1837. 

Statement  containing  an  account  of  our  visit  to  the 
Catholic  Orphan  Asylum,  two  days  after  Maria 
Monk's  departure  from  Philadelphia  for  New  York. 

(K)  We,  the  undersigned,  called  on  Wednesday 
niorning,August23d,  1837,  at  the  St.  Joseph's  Orphan 
Asylum,  corner  of  7lh  and  Spruce  Streets,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  making  inquiries  relative  to  Maria  Monk.  On 
entering  we  asked  for  the  '.ady  who  conducts  the  es- 
tablisiiment,  into  whose  presence  we  were   ushered. 
With  her  was  another  lady.  W^e  asked  her  if  a  young 
lady  had  called  on  her  the  previous  Wednesday,  (16th 
August,)  to  which  she  replied,  ♦'  so  many  ladies  call 
here  that  I  really  cannot  recollect  any  one  in  particu- 
lar."  V\  e  then  described  Maria  Monk's  person,  when 
she  said,  she  recollected  that  such  a  person  did  call 
and  that  the  object  of  said  call,  was  to  know  if  she 
could    procure    any   situation    as    domestic,    seam- 
stress, etc.— Further  she.(Maria  Monk)  had  stated  that 
she  was  married— that  her  husband  had  left  her  at 
some  place,  and  that  she  had  came  on  herself,  and 
that  he  was  now  in  some  western  part  of  the  couutfy. 


27 


The  lady  said  she  replied  to  Maria  that  she  could  not 
allow  her  to  reside  in  the  Asylum — and  that  she  did 
not  know  of  any  situation.     Maria  then  departed;  but 
in  a  short  time  (same  morning)  returned  and  told  the 
lady   that  she  had   met    with   good  luck  since,   for 
that  she  had  heard  from  her  husband  and  he  had  kind- 
ly sent  her  a  five  hundred  dollar  note,  and  would  not 
trouble  her  (the  lady  of  the  Asylum)  further,  or  words 
to  that  effect.     And  then  applied  for  boarding  in  the 
Institution  which  she  was  told  she  could  not  get.  The 
above  is  the  principal  purport  of  Maria  Monk's  visits, 
as  the  lady  told  us.     We  then  particularly  asked  her 
if  Maria  had  slept  there  the  night  previous,  (Tuesday 
15lh,)  to  which  she  emphatically  replied  that  no  per- 
sons but  those  under  the  charge  of  the  sisters,  ever 
were  allowed  to  sleep  there;  and  that  Maria  did  not 
sleep  there,  nor  was  she,  as  she  verily  believed  half 
an  hour  in  the  Asylum  if  the  time  occupied  in  both 
visits  were  added  together.     We  then  asked  her  if 
Maria  had  breakfasted  there;  to  which  the  lady  replied 
as  positively  as  before,  that  she  had  not,  that  no  stran- 
ger ever  gets  a  crust,  even,  in  the  establishment,  and 
that' Maria  most  assuredly  did  not  eat  a  morsel  there. 
We  then  asked  the  lady  if  Maria  Monk,  of  whose  name 
and  character  the  lady,  at  this  time,  and  until  our  exami- 
nation  was   concluded,  was  perfectly   ignorant,  had 
left  any  clothes  or  things  of  any  description  there,  to 
which  the  aforesaid  lady  replied,  as  before,  positively 
in  the  negative.     We  then  asked  if  she  was  given  a 
crucitix  by  the  lady;  to  which  we  received  an  answer 
unequivocally  in  the  negative.     We  then   asked  the 
lady  if  she  had  given  Maria  Monk  a  lock  of  her  hair, 
and  if  she  had   taken  a  lock  of  hair  in  return  from 


28 

her;  to  which  the  lady  replied  with  astonishment  that 
no  such  transaction  had  taken  place. 

W.  H.  SCOTT. 

W.  W.  SLEIGH. 

W.C.  SLEIGH. 

yyednesday,  August  23d,  183^^ 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Some  curious  and  incidental  circumstances  which 
occurred  during  Maria  Monk's  six  days  stay  in  Phila^ 
delphia;  with  some  additional  statements  made  by  her 
durmg  that  time:  published  as  committed  to  paper  by 
one  of  the  gentlemen. 

On  Wednesday  16th  inst.,  as  Maria  Monk  was 
walkmg  down  Chesnut  street  with  one  of  the  gentle- 
men mentioned  in  these  pages,  a  very  respectable 
personage  saluted  her;  she  instantly  advanced  towards 
him  and  shook  hands,  saying  at  the  same  time  to  the 
gentleman  with  whom  she  had  been  walking,  "  I  will 
find  the  way  n.yself  now;  thank  you  Mr.—."  And 
having  told  him  that  she  would  speak  to  any  of  the 
Priests  she  might  meet,  he,  imagining  that  the  gen- 
tieman  she  had  then  met  was  one  of  them,  wished 
her  good  evening  and  withdrew,  leaving  the  sup- 
posed priest  talking  to  Maria  Monk.     As  she  had 
intimated  her  determination  to  speak  to  any  of  the 
priests  she  might  meet,  and  resist  all  entreaties  or 
proffers  to  accompany  him;  and  had  also  said  she 
would  shout  "  murder,"  or  -  run  him  through"  to 
use  her  own  expression,  should  he  attempt,  once 
more,  forcibly  to  «  abdmr  her:  no  evil  results  were 


29 


apprehended  as  tlie  consequences  of  this  interview, 
by  the  person  with  whom  she  had  been  walking. 
But  still  anxious  to  observe  the  movements  of  the 
gentleman,  supposed  by  him  to  be  a  Catholic  priest, 
he  walked  on  the  other  side  of  the  street  and  repassed 
them  unobservef^Jbut  they  were  still  in  close  con- 
versation. He  now  went  through  a  street  or  two 
and  again  arrived  at  the  spot;  but  they  had  parted. 
or  departed  he  knew  not  whither.  On  his  return 
home,  at'ter  relating  the  incidents  of  his  walk,  it  was 
the  opinion  of  all,  that  poor  Maria  was  again  far  from 
reach,  perhaps  immured  in  the  dismal  dungeon  of  the 
Asylum  awaiting  her  cruel  fate,  or,  peradventure, 
on  her  way,  with  priests,  to  Alexandria!  The  veil 
of  night  was  gradually  surrounding  all  nature — the 
sun  had  shed  his  parting  rays,  and  had  sunk  behind 
the  distant  hills — the  gentle  moon  had 

"Unveiled  her  peerless  light," 
"  And  o'er  tlie  dark  her  silver  mantle  threw." 

yet  Maria  had  not  arrived:  much  solicitude  was 
felt  for  her,  and  every  eye  was  anxiously  on  the 
alert,  waiting  for  the  restoration  of  the  unfortunate 
girl  from  the  Popish  fangs  in  which,  it  was  feared, 
she  had  been  left  in  Chesnut  St!  At  last  she  returned 
and  was  instantly  accosted  \  y  the  gentleman  above 
alluded  to  as  being  with  her,  when  the  following 
conversation  took  place.  "  Well,  Maria,  who  was 
that  with  whom  I  left  you  talking?" 

She  laughed  and  after  a  moment  replied,  "  Why; 
what  makes  you  ask  me  that  question?" 

Mr. — "  Was  it  priest  Phelan?" 

SVie  hesitated  and  enuivocated,  "  Wasn't  he  a  hand- 


some man 


»»» 


30 


"  Mr. — "  Yes,  he  was  a  good  looking  man;  but  tell 
me,  was  it  Phelan?" 

"  I  dare  not  tell,  Tve  sworn  not  to  tell,"  replied  she. 

"  But,"  she  added  after  a  moment,  "  if  you  guess 
right  you  may." 

Thus  she  left  all  under  the  impression  that  she  had 
been  with  a  priest,  and,  moreover,  that  it  was  Phelan, 
for  the  reflection  flashed  cross  their  minds,  as  they 
afterwards  stated,  that  the  query  "  wasn't  he  hand- 
some" related  particularly  to  Mr.  Phelan,  who,  she 
said,  had  promised  to  marry  her,  and  with  whom, 
they  supposed,  she  was  enamored. 

That  night  happened  to  be  one  on  which  Dr.  Sleigh 
was  to  lecture  against  Infidelity,  and  as  he  had  gone  to 
the  Hall,  where  he  was  to  speak,  some  time  previous 
to  her  return,  she  requested  to  be  taken  to  hear  him  and 
it  being  already  late,  she  and  the  same  gentleman  in- 
stantly left  for  the  place.  Not  being  fully  satisfied 
with  Maria's  answers  about  the  gentleman  with 
whom  he  had  left  her  in  Chesnut  street,  this  gentle- 
man (the  one  with  whom  she  had  been  walking, 
when  she  met  the  supposed  priest,)  resumed  his  in- 
terrogatories on  the  way. 

M.  Monk.  "  Well  Mr.  —  I'll  tell  you  who  it 
was,"  and,  after  having  designated  the  information  as 
a  piece  of  great  secrecy,  she  continued,  "  It  was  Du- 
fresne"  (a  priest.) 

Mr. — «'  Well  what  did  you  say  to  priest  Dufresne? 
did  he  ask  where  you  were?  did  he  ask  you  who  I 
was,  «fcc.?" 

M.  Monk.  "  He  asked  me  who  you  were,  and  I 
told  him,  a  friend  of  mine;  he  looked  very  suspi- 
ciously after  you,  and  then  said,  that  if  the  Protes-- 


31 


tants  were  trying  to  get  me  that  it  would  be  useless, 
for  have  me  they  (the  priests)  would,  and  the  protes- 
tants  would  have  the  worst  of  it." 

She  then  renewed  the  inquiry;  '*  was  he  not  hand- 
some?" This  she  said  was  the  purport  of  her  inter- 
view with  the  priest  to  whom  she  promised  to  return 
to  the  Asylum  the  next  day,  but  not  that  night  as 
she  was  at  a  friend's  house.  This  gentleman,  whom 
she  so  artfully  passed  off  for  Priest  Dufresne,  was  no 
other  than  the  gentleman  who  had  paid  hei  such  polite 
attention  on  board  the  boat  and  who  had  directed  her 
to  Mrs.  Davy's  house,  and  who  now,  accidentally 
meeting  her  in  the  street,  stopped  to  speak  to  her! 

Among  other  wonderful  adventures  Maria  related 
the  following.  While  in  New  York  she  said  that  she 
once  "  out  of  fun,'"  went  in  disguise  to  a  Catholic 
Priest  to  confess,  and  that  she  gravely  told  hitn 
her  greatest  crime  was  reading  *'The  awful  Dis- 
closures of  Maria  Monk!"  The  priest,  she  said,  se- 
verely reprimanded  her  for  committing  such  a  hei- 
nous crime,  and  told  her  that  it  was  a  tissue  of  false- 
hoods, and  to  convince  her  she  related  how  he  demon- 
strated the  fallacy,  and  exhibited  the  absurdity  of  several 
of  the  statements  made  in  the  book  (little  imagining  that 
he  was  actually  addressing  Maria  Monk,  and,  innocent- 
ly helping  her  to  remodel  her  work.)  Among  other 
things,  she  said,  he  told  her  that  the  writer  proved  her- 
self to  be  an  impostor  by  her  attempt  to  describe  the 
ceremony  of  baptism  as  performed  in  the  Roman  Ca- 
tholic church,  for,  said  he,  she  has  placed  the  use  of 
salt  in  the  wrong  part  of  the  performance  of  that  rite, 
and  thus  proved  her  ignorance  of  the  matter  of  which 
she  was  pretending  to  write.     Maria  told  us  that  she 


32 


saw  the  truth  of  the  priest's  remarks  wiih  respect  to 
the  "  salt,"  and  other  things,  and  that  having  listened 
attentively  to  him  she  returned  home — took  up  her 
pen,  and,  instantly,  corrected  her  errors,  placing  the 
salt  "  in  the  right  place"  &c.  &.C.,  for  the  next  edition 
of  her  book,  according  to  the  information  given  her 
by  the,  thus  duped,  priest! 

Another  curious  tale  she  favored  us  with  was,  that 
two  clergymen  of  New  York  had  formed  the  project 
of  dressing  her  in  a  Nun's  habit,  and  taking  her  to 
lecture  through  the  country,  and  that  she  was  about 
doing,  and  would  positively  have  done  so,  had  not 
the  Hev.  Dr.  Brownlee  opposed  it.  With  this  plan 
she  appeared  to  be  much  taken,  as  on  Monday  morn- 
ing, when  in  Mr.  Guillou's  office  with  several  gentle- 
men, she  proposed  carrying  the  scheme  of  the  New 
York  clergymen  into  effect  in  Pennsylvania  as  she  said 
she  would  like  to  do  so  now  and  asked  Dr.  Sleigh  if 
he  would  not  be  her  moderator! 

One  more  extraordinary  piece  of  information  among 
multifarious  others  with  wliich  she  was  daily  and 
hourly  deluging  her  auditors,  is  now  recalled  to  the 
writer's  memory,  and  he  cannot  refrain  from  placing 
it  in  the  reader's  possession.  As  before  related  she 
said  she  was  kept  in  the  Prince  Street  Catholic  Asy- 
lum New  York  for  several  hours  previous  to  the  de- 
parture of  the  boat  for  Philadelphia  lest  she  might  be 
traced.  During  her  stay  there  she  said  that  a  gentle- 
man with  whom  she  had  been  acquainted  walked  in. 
She  instantly  turned  her  back  to  him,  and  kept  so 
whilst  he  was  in  the  room.  As  soon  as  he  had  de- 
parted the  priest  asked  *'  why  did  you  turn  away 
your  face,  rny  dear,  from  the  gentleman!" 


33 


s 

; 


"Because,"  she  replied,  "I  am  ashamed  to  look 
gentlemen  in  the  face!" 

"Right,  my  daughter,  right,"  replied  the  priest; 

actalways  that  way  and  you'lldo  well."  The  pecu- 
liar  manner  in  which  she  related  this  incident,  and  the 
personiacation  of  the  priest,  produced  an  irresistible 
risibility  throughout  the  company. 

Notes  taken  by  the  Rev,  IVm.  Ramsay,^ 
Among  other  statements,  he  makes  the  following: 
That  he  heard  Maria  Monk  say  that,  some  of  those 
concerned  m  publishing  her  books  in  New  York,  ad- 
vised  her  to  come  away. 

That  Father  Phelan  promised  to  marry  her,  if  she 
would  go  with  him;  and  offered  her  $4000  if  she 
would  go  with  him  to  Alexandria:  that  he  met  her  for 
a  man  supposed  to  be  Father  Phelan,)  in  Philadelphia 
m  Chestnut  street,  yesterday,  (August  16th,)  and  after 
a  long  conversation,  he  said  it  was  useless  for  her  to 
try  to  avoid  them,  (the  Papists,)  for  they  were  deter- 
mined  to  have  her,  go  where  she  would. 

That  she  slept  in  the  Orphan's  Asylum  on  the  night 
of  the  15th,  and  in  the  morning,  heard  some  of  the 
priests  m  an  adjoining  room  say,  "  Damn  her,  we 
have  had  trouble  enough  with  her;"  and  on  coming 
into  the  room  and  seeing  her,  they  were  kind,  they 
were  glad  to  see  her,  and  expressed  much  good  ieeh 
mg  for  her. 

That  Father  Phelan  said  he  would  leave  the 
Romish  church,  and  marry  her;  but  he  only  wished 
to  get  a  httle  more  money,  before  he  did  so. 

A  discussion  was  held  in  the  Orphan  Asylum  (as 
Maria  alleged)  as  to  what  should  be  done  with  her- 
so,ue  advised  that  she  should  go  to  Alexandria,  and 


34 


others,  that  she  should  stay  in  this  city,  under  their 
care. 

In  coming  from  New  York  in  the  steamboat, 
Father  Phehin  asked  her,  if  she  believed  the  priest 
could  give  her  absolution,  at  confession.  She  said 
yes,  for  the  purpose  of  hearing  what  he  would  say. 
He  then  replied  that  he  did  not,  and  never  could, 
■while  his  conscience  told  him  that  it  could  not  be  so. 

As  to  the  conventual  life.  Father  Phelan  said,  she 
continued,  he  believed  it  was  contrary  to  the  word  of 
God;  but  as  it  was  a  part  of  the  system  of  the  Romish 
church,  it  should  be  defended. 

That  $4000  were  offered  to  Maria,  not  to  go  with 
the  committee  to  Montreal.  These  things  she  slated 
in  presence  of  several  witnesses.  W.  R." 

August  nth,  1837. 


!• 


CHAPTER  V. 


CONCLUSION. 


By  what  circumstance,  or  by  whom,  this  nnforta- 
nate  girl  was  first  induced  to  fabricate  her  fables,  ap- 
pears to  me,  as  yet  involved  in  mystery.  Though 
young  in  years,  she  is  old  in  adversity.  She  cannot 
be  more  than  twenty-one,  or  twenty-two  years  of  age 
at  the  utmost.  She  is  a  mother!  What  is  now  to  be- 
come of  her?  My  heart  bleeds  at  the  idea  that  deve- 
loping the  foregoing  facts  may  cause  her  to  be  aban- 
doned by  all.  If  the  slandered  could  have  been  ac- 
quitted, or  the  innocent  protected  for  the  future,  hy 


:^ 


t 


36 

ttny  means,  without  at  all  implicating  her,  or  relating 
one  circumstance  prejudicial  to  her  character,  gladly 
would  I  have  adopted  that  method,  and  studiously 
would  I  have  avoided  relating  a  single  fact  calculated 
to  injure  her:  for  I  conceive  refraining  from  accusing 
anyone  is  as  much  the  duty  of  the  real  Christian,  as  de- 
fending, and  protecting  the  innocent.  *'He,  that  is 
without  sin,  let  him  first  cast  a  stone  at  her!"  (John 
viii.  7.)  But  even  common  justice  demands  not  only 
the  unjustly  accused  to  be  acquitted;  but  the  public 
protected  for  the  future.  She  lately  stated  in  the  pre- 
sence of  several,  that  she  was  now  composing  another 
work,  far  more  wonderful  than  her  "  Jlwful  Disclo- 
sures.'' Who  were  to  figure  in  that  unborn  production 
it  would  be  difficult  to  say!  Was  her  recent  abduc- 
tion from  New  York,  and  visit  to  Philadelphia  to  fur- 
nish materials  for  it?  One  time  she  said  she  would 
yet  publish  a  work  the  tide  of  which  was  to  be  "  The 
^ufid  Disclosures  of  Protestant  Jesuitism^  Who 
could  be  safe,  whilst  such  a  person  is  at  large? 

There  have  been,  or  are,  some  person  or  persons 
unknown  to  me,  concerned  in  all  this  traffic,  Air  more 
culpable  than  this  unfortunate,  bewildered,  unprotec- 
ted girl.  One  of  her  friends  (?)  stated  to  several  of 
those  gentlemen  mentioned  in  this  little  work,  that  he 
did  not  think,  there  would  be  scarcely  any  thing  com- 
ing to  her,  on  the  settling  of  her  accounts;  while  ano- 
ther said,  she  ought  to  have  a  share  out  of  from  twenty 
to  thirty  thousand  dollars,  independently  of  the  profits 
of  her  books  now  selling  in  Europe!  The  fact  is,  to 
make  an  erfd.oi';this  narr&livc^  .this -vre^ture  has  been 
so  dragged  .abpMVSyyarious  parlies-,  .,-\nd  l^r  mind 
kept  in  si^d^  a.peri)8iwalstatftoi  ^jfcit^ipent /or  iev«- 


36 

ral  years,  that  she  could  have  been  made  to  say,  or  con- 
sent to,  any  thing;  to  which  circumstance,  rather  than 
to  any  peculiar  or  natural  depravity  of  mind,  I  am  in- 
clined to  attribute  the  strange  acts  she  has  hitherto 
performed. 

Therefore,  to  cast  her  off  unprotected,  even  with 
plenty  of  money,  would  be  inhuman,  and  lead  to  her 
certain  ruin.  She  really  is  not  capable  of  taking  care 
of  herself  in  consequence  of  her  great  mental  excite- 
ment. Is  it  not  the  duty  of  those  immediately  con- 
nected with  her,  particularly  those  who  have  had 
any  thing  to  do  with  her  pecuniary  concerns,  to 
get  her  placed  in  some  public  Asylum,  where, 
bemg  freed  from  anxiety,  and  excitement,  and  her 
mind  fed  with  wholesome  and  pure  nourishment, 
she  might,  in  a  few  years,  become  a  worthy  mem- 
ber of  'society,  and  an  instrument  in  the  hands  of 
Providence  of  doing  good:— and  what,  in  my  opinion, 
would  contribute  much  to  this  desirable  end  would  be 
the  immediate  restoration  of  her  child  to  her;  the  ta- 
king care  of  which  would  necessarily  so  occupy  her 
attention,  and  call  forth  into  action  such  parental  feel- 
ings that  she  would  not  have  time  to  be  devising 
schemes,  or  meditating  on  past  events,  however  much 
her  present  inclination  may  tend  thereunto. 

Finally,  I  have  no  hesitation  in  declaring  my  con- 
viction, as  a  physician,  that  she  is  at  present  incapable 
of  taking  proper  care  of  herself— and  that  her  own 
good,  and  that  of  the  public  demAnd  some  measure  to 
be  adopted,  by  which  both  objects  may  be  secured. 
€.,  ..  ...    W.W.  SLEIGH. 


\. 


